CONCORD — A male died early Monday when the vehicle he was driving swerved off Interstate 680 into a ditch where it crashed into a tree and burst into flames, authorities said.
The Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office is working to positively identify him, determine where he lived and contact his family. A possible age for the victim has not been determined yet.
The crash happened about 4:28 a.m. Monday on northbound I-680 between Concord and Center avenues, the California Highway Patrol said.
A witness reported seeing a vehicle weaving and swerving before it ran off the right side of the freeway and down a ditch, the CHP said.
The vehicle, a black Toyota Prius, crashed into a tree in the ditch and became fully engulfed in flames, CHP Officer Adam Lane said.
The male was found dead inside the vehicle after firefighters put out the fire, authorities said.
After being removed from the burned wreckage, the body was taken to the Coroner’s Office.
The freeway lane closest to the crash site was shut down for about 30 minutes while emergency personnel were on the scene, the CHP said.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP’s Contra Costa County office at 925-646-4980.